The morning sun was bright and cheerful. Outside, the soft sound of waves and the calls of seagulls made it seem like a perfect morning.
But for Fors and Xio, it was far from perfect.
They sat on the edge of the same bed they had both slept in, staring at each other—neither had slept. They both had dark circles under their eyes. Fors's hair was a mess, and she looked awful. Xio slumped forward, just as exhausted.
The walls of the summer house had been a major problem last night.
Fors let out a miserable groan. "I didn't get a single wink of sleep."
"Me neither," Xio said, her voice tired and rough.
They had heard everything from Audrey's room. Audrey's soft moans were one thing, but what really kept them awake was Klein.
When Fors and Xio had been making out the previous evening, Audrey had been the loud one, however, late at night, her moans softened. Klein, on the other hand, moaned so loudly that not even the walls could muffle the lewd sounds escaping his mouth. They heard Audrey taking charge. Her dirty talk was burned into their minds.
Hugging her knees, Fors whispered, "I'm going to hear those sounds in my head forever."
Suddenly, cheerful footsteps echoed in the hallway outside their door.
"Come on, Fors, let's get changed and eat breakfast," Xio said with a sigh.
A simple but delicious breakfast of toast, eggs, and fruit was already laid out on the table, prepared by maids hired by Audrey who arrived early at dawn.
Fors and Xio were the first to arrive. They moved like zombies, slumping into their chairs and silently picking up their forks. They avoided eye contact with each other, their eyes dull and lackluster.
Moments later, Audrey entered, looking the complete opposite.
She was radiant, her face glowing with a happy, well-rested smile. She practically skipped to her seat, humming a cheerful tune. Last night was wonderful!
Klein was the last to arrive, looking almost as bad as Fors and Xio. His movements were slow. It seems even an Angel wasn't able to handle Audrey.
He gave Audrey a tired but warm smile before sitting down. I should have put up a soundproofing barrier… he thought.
The four ate in silence, the only sound the soft, clinking of silverware.
Audrey ate happily, occasionally glancing at Klein. He looks so cute when he's sleepy, she mused.
Fors and Xio barely touched their food.
Don't look at them. Don't think about it. Just act normal! Xio's mind looped.
Fors stared at her plate, lost in thought. So that's an Angel's stamina… He lasted from evening to morning… Doesn't sound half bad for a new novel…
Klein sensed them avoiding his gaze. They definitely heard us. I'm so sorry… He took a slow bite of his eggs, a wave of second-hand embarrassment washing over him. Then it clicked: they had also heard his whimpers late at night. Sigh… there goes my tough-guy act from yesterday…
He had left a strong impression on Fors and Xio when he Flame Jumped to their room, but that image was now entirely replaced by Audrey's 'punishment' last night. Klein sighed inwardly, recalling just how loud he had been.
East Tucker County, the docks.
"Hurry the hell up with that crate! The tide ain't waiting for you!" a burly man with a scar across his nose snarled. He watched as two grunts struggled to load a large, sealed wooden box onto a cargo ship.
"It's heavy, boss," one grunted, his face red as he pushed the crate with all his strength. "And the 'cargo' is making a lot of noise."
"Then make them quiet," the boss spat, his eyes cold. "We're not getting paid for damaged goods, but a few bumps to keep them silent won't hurt. Just get it on the ship. I'll let you have some 'fun' with them when we're out at sea."
The boss's henchmen carried the crate up the ramp and onto the ship's deck.
"Hey! Watch it! Why'd you drop it?!" one of the grunts cried out.
The other grunt didn't respond. He stood frozen.
"Hah? What's the problem now, you bastards?" the boss complained as he turned around. He saw the crate on the floor and a mysterious man standing on top of it.
He was tall, dressed in a simple black traveler's robe and a plain hat.
"Hey! This is a private dock. Get lost before you see something you shouldn't," the boss threatened.
The mysterious man looked at him with a calm smile. "Sir, I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you. Would you mind returning it, please?"
The burly boss clicked his tongue. "I warned you." He drew a revolver from the back of his pants and fired a shot straight at the mysterious man.
In the next moment, the bullet penetrated him right through the heart, and blood splashed everywhere.
However, it wasn't the mysterious man who got shot, but instead it was the henchman who was standing still the entire time! The robed figure and the henchman switched places!
What the…
The boss quickly processed what had happened, dropped the revolver, and extended his right arm in a grabbing motion.
He seized the robed figure by the neck from meters away! This was the ability of a Sequence 4 Earl of the Fallen Demigod: Magnify!
But in the next moment, the mysterious man turned into paper, crumbling in the boss's grip. He scoffed.
"You'll hurt someone swinging your fist like that," the mysterious man teased from behind.
The boss spun around and threw a powerful right hook. His fist landed squarely on the man's face... and passed through paper?!
Dammit!
"Get him!" he ordered the remaining henchman, then jumped, using Exploit to extend his jump into a form of 'flight' to get away from the scene.
"Y-yes, sir!" the henchman stammered, searching for the robed figure. "Huh? Boss, I don't see him any—"
Splat!
Blood gushed out of his chest. The grunt, throwing up blood, looked down to see his heart being held by a hand that went right through his chest. The attacker was none other than the other grunt who was shot! His body seemed to have been 'reanimated' and was able to move even after being shot!
The dead henchman's hand retracted, and his former comrade collapsed onto the cold floor. The reanimated figure stood still like a silent, empty puppet.
The boss kept 'flying' away. His men were dead, and the enemy seemed unkillable. Escaping to regroup with his crew in the city was his best option.
"I wish for flight to be disabled here!"
Huh? Suddenly, his body stopped flying, and gravity pulled him down towards the docks.
Disorder!
He altered the distance between himself and the ground from hundreds of meters to just a few. He was quick enough to act before reaching terminal velocity, but he still hit the ground with a loud thud.
Multiple bones were broken. He was bleeding internally, and his ears were ringing.
This man is a monster! He staggered to his feet, hopping on one leg to put distance between himself and the creature pursuing him.
The mysterious robed figure appeared in his path, blocking his escape. He looked down at the injured, bleeding demigod with an unreadable expression.
The boss's face twisted in terror. "Stay away from me!" He threw a cigarette case at the man standing before him.
Bribe!
Bestowment!
The robed figure didn't even flinch after being afflicted with Bribe and Bestowment of a Sequence 4 Demigod. He reached into the air and pulled out an exquisite cane, long and dark, topped with a cluster of brilliant gems that swirled with the light of a distant galaxy.
He walked forward slowly. The boss, too injured and terrified to run, could only watch as the figure raised the cane.
"Stop!! Get away from—"
The robed man gently tapped the boss's forehead with the cane's tip.
There was no sound, no flash of light. The boss's head simply vanished.
His headless body stood for a moment before collapsing.
The man with the cane turned and walked back to the crate on the ship's deck. He placed a hand on the lid and opened it. Inside were frightened girls, huddling together.
His expression softened. He reached into the air and pulled a thick, warm blanket from nowhere, draping it carefully over them.
"It's alright now," he whispered, his voice kind.
"M-mister… are you a bad guy?" one of the girls asked, cowering in a corner of the crate.
"No. I'm simply a wandering magician," he replied softly. "You can call me Merlin Hermes." He looked gently at the small group of frightened children, his eyes settling on a girl named Lily. "I'm here because a worried little girl made a wish. A very powerful wish." Merlin's smile warmed. "Your sister, Anna, misses you very much. She wished with all her heart for you to be safe and to come home. I'm here to grant that wish."
Lily's eyes were filled with tears of disbelief and hope. "Anna? My sister… Is she okay?"
"She's waiting for you," Merlin assured her. "Now, let's get you all home."
He helped the children out of the crate one by one and led them away from the docks.
Klein Moretti was swimming.
After the awkward, quiet breakfast, he needed to clear his head. The cool water felt good, washing away his embarrassment and exhaustion from the night before. He floated on his back, letting the waves gently rock him as he gazed at the vast blue sky.
Hm? The potion has been digested…
I can start considering the ritual for Sequence 1, but… If I advance, my humanity will…
He thought of Audrey's bright, happy smile. Would that smile still warm my heart? Or would I feel nothing as my humanity fades and my emotions grow colder?
The feeling of her hand, the way her face flushed when he teased her, the quiet joy of sitting beside her… those were human feelings. His feelings. Advancing meant becoming closer to a god. It meant leaving his humanity behind. A god protects, but does a god love?
He felt a sudden chill.
To keep her safe from threats like Amon, I need to become more powerful. But what if the 'me' who has that power no longer feels the love that makes me want to protect her in the first place?
The thought was terrifying. He would become a guardian deity, watching over an Audrey he only remembered caring for, the real feelings lost to the cold indifference of godhood.
No.
He looked toward the shore and saw her playing in the sand. She was his anchor, the brightest part of the humanity he was so scared of losing.
I have to advance, he thought, but I refuse to lose this feeling. I refuse to lose her.